Propagation of Gaussian-apodized paraxial beams through first-order optical systems via complex coordinate transforms and ray transfer matrices

    Authors

    T. Graf; D. N. Christodoulides; M. S. Mills; J. V. Moloney; S. C. Venkataramani;E. M. Wright

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Opt. Soc. Am. A-Opt. Image Sci. Vis.

    Keywords

    LIGHT-BEAMS; DIFFRACTION; APPROXIMATION; APERTURE; ARGUMENT; EQUATION; Optics

    Abstract

    We investigate the linear propagation of Gaussian-apodized solutions to the paraxial wave equation in free-space and first-order optical systems. In particular, we present complex coordinate transformations that yield a very general and efficient method to apply a Gaussian apodization (possibly with initial phase curvature) to a solution of the paraxial wave equation. Moreover, we show how this method can be extended from free space to describe propagation behavior through nonimaging first-order optical systems by combining our coordinate transform approach with ray transfer matrix methods. Our framework includes several classes of interesting beams that are important in applications as special cases. Among these are, for example, the Bessel-Gauss and the Airy-Gauss beams, which are of strong interest to researchers and practitioners in various fields. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

    Journal Title

    Journal of the Optical Society of America a-Optics Image Science and Vision

    Volume

    29

    Issue/Number

    9

    Publication Date

    1-1-2012

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1860

    Last Page

    1869

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000309060000014

    ISSN

    1084-7529

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